This invention relates to a flexible drainage trap easily adaptable to fit a variety of pipes and usable with sinks and other similar apparatus for disposing of liquid waste.
A typical drainage trap has an U-shaped configuration with a trap portion formed at the bend. The trap portion serves as a water-seal for preventing foul air from passing through the trap from the sewer or septic system. If the drainage trap is in an unheated area under freezing conditions, it is likely to split unless the liquid is drained from the trap or the trap filled with antifreeze or the like.
With ordinary drainage traps made of metal or hard plastic, the drainage trap is drained by disconnecting one end of the drainage trap from the sink and disconnecting the other end from the drain pipe. The trap portion is then drained and the drainage trap reconnected to the sink and drain pipe. The same operation is necessary to clean the trap portion if it fills with solid waste which cannot be otherwise dislodged.
Prior art flexible drainage pipes can be manually massaged, more or less effectively, for unclogging the trap portion of solid waste but none are designed in such a way that the liquid can be drained from the trap without some disassembly.
One example of a previously available drainage trap is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,978 to Wirth. The patent shows a trap composed of a length of flexible hose supported by a bracket in a U-shape, with male and female fittings for connections to pipes from a sink and to an outlet pipe connected to a sewer or septic system. The patent fails to provide a solution to the problems associated with draining the trap portion without dismantling one or both of the ends of the drainage trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,778 to Goecke discloses a flexible conduit which has a spiral reinforcement. The patent fails to provide a solution to the problems of dismantling the drainage trap to effect drainage of the trap portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,992 to Barker et al. illustrates a flexible trap having a ball-like configuration with internal partitions requiring vertical alignment of the pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,208 to McIlroy illustrates a quick release trap which is fabricated from a deflectable type of plastic material which is connected at the ends by resilient clamps. The drainage trap requires that each end be dismantled to drain the trap portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,278 to Lamond illustrates a U-shaped flexible drainage trap that can be manually manipulated to push solid waste through the trap portion. However, the U-shaped configuration limits movement of the drainage trap such that it is not possible to drain liquid waste from the trap portion without dismantling the drainage trap.